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River Hightower
Basic Information Born: 30th of Marpenoth, 1462 DR (29 years old) Female Human (Waterdhavian) Druid Height: 5'7’’ Weight: 140 lbs Hair: Red, long. Skin: Fair Eyes: Blue Alignment: Lawful Neutral to Lawful Evil Distinguishing Marks: None Titles/Affiliations: Lady of Hightower (Or she would've been), Warrior Without Borders Education: Excellent, in line with a noble. Archetype: HP Based Tank, Melee Controller (Sentinel) Class Levels: Druid 5 (Moon) / ??? Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis 18, Cha What her ability scores mean: Family: Father: Lord Evander Hightower (Deceased), Mother: Astra Hightower (Deceased), Brother: Horace Hightower, Sister: River Hightower (Formerly Deceased, now Resurrected), Mentor: Bane Brigun Fate Fails River was born to Lord and Lady Hightower, with an older brother Horace, and a younger brother, Drake. The three were trained by a master thief and dabbler in magic and combat, Bane Brigun. River felt a special connection with natural creatures and places and learned to be a druid from an old and wise half-elf druid. The three children (grown but making their way in the world) away from home, returned to find their parents murdered, their estate burned to the ground. They decided they would follow clues and find the killer, becoming adventurers to become powerful enough to get revenge. But on their first mission, River fell in battle with monsters. They used the last of their parents' fortune to attempt to raise River, then when it didn't work give her a funeral. Horace blamed Drake, and the brothers went their separate ways, both vowing to find their parents' killers in their own way. What they didn't know is that River's soul had been captured and taken to the Abyss, then implanted in a host body. She spent four years being tortured by demons, presumably for information before she was finally Resurrected by Drake. River's Resurrection At the end of the Elemental Evil campaign, near the end of Highsun, 1491 DR, Drake hosts a celebration with the finest wines and a banquet in honor of the heroes of Ki Lobos out in the courtyard. He gives a speech, and patrons enjoy a nice reception. The entire time he is speaking and through the whole celebration, they are aware that the bard touches not a drop of alcohol. Also, there is a conspicuous casket. Finally, Drake begins to set up some sort of ritual, not disturbing anyone. He sprinkles a ring of diamond dust across the casket. All the while there is an eerie energy gathering near the site. After a while, nobody wishes to go near it. At last, he turns to everyone, dinging on a glass, “I must confess the celebration was only secondary. I am a theatrical man. The reason I asked you here today was to welcome my sister back into this world. The power granted me by Tymora has allowed me to prepare a Resurrection spell.” Then he speaks a command word to finish the spell. He raises his hands, and holy light shoots into the casket. It flies open, and the diamond dust vaporizes. A young red-haired woman’s naked form wholly constructs itself from thin air. She sits up, gasping for breath. Horace approaches her with a cloak. Fear fills her eyes, “Who are you? Where am I? No no no no, you’ll not trick me again! This is a trick!” She leaps out of the casket, ripping out a table leg and sending a table toppling to the ground. She speaks a word of magic and the table leg glows with natural magic. “You’ll not touch me again! Even if I have to die!” After several moments, she is able to be calmed down, but her eyes show hatred and mistrust. Horace leads her into the Inn. Drake shouts, “Well, it was an amazing display anyway. You can imagine someone who came back from the dead would be hysterical. Please, continue the celebration. Have a drink on me!” With that, the party continues. River holes up in the room she is given. For the next few days, Horace and Drake take turns bringing her food, which she devours, but she says very little. Finally, Horace bursts in her room when he gets no response, and she is gone. He finds a note on her bed that reads, “I am River Hightower. I don’t know if any of you are who you say you are, or if I am where you say I am. I need to find out on my own. DO not follow me. We are all in great danger. Faerun is in great danger.” In the Boat on the Dark Lake.... River Hightower attached herself to the side of the boat, staying in octopus form through her entire rest. It was fairly new to her - breathing underwater. She sighed, letting out bubbles. Was it was wrong of her to immolate those duergar with a fireball immediately? She took her time taking a rest and recovering her energies. At the end of the two hours of wild shape, River hopped back in deck with a splash. Most of them were dozing now. Except... "M'lady?" Notably less loud now, that Dragonborn was talking to her. "What was your name again?" "Baston Everstorm." "Right," she walked past him, heading for the aft end of the boat. "Wait, m'lady," he said, handing his kobold his oar. River ducked into the cargo bay. Baston had to squeeze, which slowed him down. It was dark back here. He touched his left gauntlet with his opposite hand, casting Light. River was mere inches from his face. "What do you want?" She said through her teeth, "Why are you following me?" "Excuse me, but I have yet to tell you who sent me here." She hid her face in her palm, "Who, pray tell?" "Well, I want passage to my plane. Horace offered his services. He talked to Morgana about researching a teleportation spell that would get me home. In return, he asked me to watch over you for a while," the dragonborn said. "Forget it," River replied, trying to push him aside, "I don't need any help from you. As you can see, I can survive on my own." "I don't doubt it. Horace and Drake are worried for your soul. I must say, in all good conscience, I am as well. You incinerated those poor dwarves with no chance of parley," Baston blocked her path. "They were going to attack us, you saw it," she ground her teeth, "Only after you provoked them," Baston replied in calm tones, "A lot of walking the straight path is about intentions. Sometimes, there is a peaceful path we can take in lieu of killing." "Peaceful path? Save it. I spent the last four years being tortured by demons. What my brothers don't know is that I was resurrected in the Abyss. Only when I was finally slain again were they able to resurrect me. There will be no peace. I will slay every last one of the demons on this and every other plane. Now get the hell out of my way!" She waved her hand and a gust of wind blew him aside. Baston silently returned to rowing. About an hour later he heard a voice in his head. "Hello, prince. Do you have any news to report?" Horace asked, "I have a connection via sending spell." "It is worse than you may have feared. And what's more..." Baston looked up to the looming city above and the boat in the distance, "I sense a strong demonic presence here. We will not be safe soon. Your sister... I fear for her sanity here." Horace nodded to himself. Perhaps, they will be needing help. Fate of River, Bane Brigun An old man came upon that seed of the duergar, Grackstugh. With flight or teleportation it would've been easier, but an old rogue still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Nothing a little spider climb and a potion of invisibility can't fix. And having contacts in thieves' guilds never hurts either. At last, he set foot on the rooftop of River's room. Sliding himself into the window, he smiled to find her sleeping and none the wiser. "Even better," he twirled his mustache. All he had to do was gently place the eye medallion over her forehead. After a moment, her eyes shot awake and she became a whirlwind of long red hair and naked woman. And then, she was a bear. "Well, that's new," he shrugged, "Not the worst situation I've been in." (Hold on a moment, young miss) Bane thought at her, and she visibly softened, if that were possible as a bear. (I'm here to help you. I hear you're having a problem with night terrors, and an evil taint in your soul). (How could you know that?) River thought back to him. (Why don't you transform back so we can talk like civilized people?) (Very well, but turn around. I don't want you to see.) (Nothing I've not seen before.) (I should claw you for that!) She pushed him with her giant paw, to which he turned around. He heard the telltale signs of shapeshifting behind him. "So, why are you here?" "Told you before, miss. Here to cure you with the eye. This eye pendant. As for how I know, well, I heard you sleeping." "You can turn around now," She folded her arms, "What do you suppose that little pendant is going to do for me?" "Save you. Believe me, for an eldritch entity, the eye is rather helpful." She sighed, sitting down on the bed, "Alright, Bane. I've had enough people tell me I have a problem. But what if it does cure me? I still have my memories of torture. There are still demons in the underdark threatening the world. I trained a lot to be able to come here and root out this problem." "You need to get away, honey," Bane said, "Tell you what. We can call your brother to come get you. I will stay here and fight demons on your behalf." River thought for a moment. Then she nodded, "Okay. If this truly cures me, not only will I go home and get some rest, I will give the group my magic items. I won't need them anymore." Bane nodded. She laid down and he placed the amulet on her forehead. I t was nearly an hour, and mental struggles enough for another story entirely, but River was finally calm. "Here. Take my cloak, necklace and staff. Give the staff to Mord. He could make good use of it," she smiled. And that was that. She'd been alive for almost a year and it had been nothing but struggle and sorrow. But she had the choice now. She could choose to be far away from the sorrow and madness of the abyss. She wasn't trapped anymore. Blingdenstone and Return to Rivergard From there, River returned with Sloth to the surface world by way of Blingdenstone. While there, they were able to deliver some spell gems and stop the assault of the Pudding King (but not kill him).